Automobile signal



June 10 1924.

W. SMlTH AUTOMOBILE s IGNAL Filed Dec. 1,

relented June 10, 1924.

WILLIAM SMITH. 011' CLEAN. NEW YORK AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

Application filed December 1. 1922. Serial No. 604,202.

To all whom it may conccrn:

Be it known that T, lViLLiAM SMITH, a citizen of the United States. residing at Olean, in the county of Cnttaraugus and State of New York. have invented certaiii new and useful Improvements in Automobile Signals. otwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobile sigmils, and has for its object to provide an improved signal which can be operated by the driver of the vehicle for the purpose of notifying other cars of an intended stop. turn, or similar operation.

The. device includes a casing. and a pivoted arm which can be swung into or out of the casing by operating a lever. the arm being provided with a lamp which is lighted when the arm is swung out, by means of contacts which are automatically closed Whcn the arm is swung out, the circuit being opened When the arm is swung in the other direction into its casing. The arm may be provided with a stop sign or other mark as desired.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings. in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device with parts in section and the arm swung out.

ig. 2 is a side or edge view with the arm swung in. Fig. 3 is a detail in section showing the contact devices at the end of the arm. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line H of Fi 2.

1e device may be mounted on an automobile in any convenient Way, being preferably attached to the front of the car, heside the drivers seat. For the. closed car, I have indicated at 6 one of the front vertical posts of the car top and to this is attached a casing, which may be made of metal, and comprises a back plate a front plate 8 with curved ends joined thereto. and an innerside plate 9. the outer side 10 being left open to recelvc the signal arm. This arm. consists of an elongate-u metal casing with top and bottom plates 11 and 12,0loscd at the ends, but 0 en at the front and rear sides to disclose t e illuminated tube 13 at the front or the rear or both, the tube being enclosed within the arm. The tube is made of transparent material, such as red celluloid, and is illuminated by lamps 14 one of which is located at each end of the tube. Each lamp is enclosed within-a. socket 15,

the ends of the tube being also titted in thcsc sockets or shells. whereby the tube is sup p rted. The tube may be marked with a stop sign or the like, and each lamp is screwed in the socket for electrical conned tion to a current wire.

The inner end of the arm is pivoted betwcen the front and back of the casing by a pivot pin 16. which permits the arm to he swung up into the casing or swung down and ut perpcndicularly thereto, whereby the arm projects beyond the side of the car and can be seen from the rear.

The means for swinging the arm comprise a lover 1'7 which is pivoted on the pin 16. This pin. in' addition to extending across the casing. also extends thru the post 6, the lover being conveniently located on the inside oi. the post. and being connected to a bolt 18 which projects from the inner end of the arm thru a slot 19 formed in the plate 7 and in the adjacent portion of the post 6. it obvious that by pressing down on the lever itrtnrns on the pin it? and the arm will swing up into the casing. the bolt 18 traversing the slot 19 as the lever is depressed, thereby forcing down the inner end of the arm and swinging up the outer end as described.

The electrical connections include a sup ply wire 20 which is fastened by a binding post 22 to the casing and terminates in a spring linger 23 located in the lower end of the casing and projecting in position to be engaged by a curved spring linger 55-4, when the arm is swung down. Said'fingcr 9.4 is secured to the inner end of the con-- neoting plug 25 in the so t-nit 15 at the inner end of the arm, and iiss'o connected by a wire 26 to a connecting plug 2'? in the cute socket 123. said Wire lacing housed within the arm. whereby both lamps are connected circuit when the arm is sivn down and out as stated. the linger 24 p: inn tains; he finger Q3. closes the circuit mid lights the lamps. hen the lever is pressed down. and the arm is swung up. the spring 24, arried by the arm, swings away from the tim ger 23. and opens the circuit. so that the lamps are not lighted when the arm is swung up to inoperative position. Obviously the parts may be reversed or changed in opera tion, containing however the function of lighting the lamps automatically when the. arm is swi'mg out and extinguishing the same when swung in.

As stated, the device may be applied to a closed car in the manner above described, but for an open car it me be attached in some other way, as by suita le clamping devices or clips for fastening the casingdio one of the windshield supports, the manner of mounting the device on the car being immaterial to the main features of the invention.

Various other changes may be made in the detai of the device, within the scope of the ollowing claim.

I cleinl: In a signal, a signal arm comprising a. metal casmg with top and bottom plates and closed ends, and open at opposite sides, 16 a socket fixed to each of the said ends and rojecting inwardly between said plates, amps in said sockets, and a tube of colored translucent material extending between said sockets and supported thereby in the casing, 20 the inner ends of the sockets projecting beyond the lamps for sup orting connection with the ends of said tuiie.

. WILLIAM SMITH.

Witnesses SUsIE W. KEmiEY, ELLEN CORSETFE. 

